Portland Charter Commission Delves Into Balance Of Power Between Elected Mayor and City Manager
On Thursday, October 14, 2021, The Portland Press Herald reported that Portland’s charter commission has begun discussing the topic of balancing the power between the elected mayor and the city manager. Currently under the charter, the mayor and the city manager hold an important relationship. The city manager, who acts as a gate keeper to city staff who often use their expertise to assist elected officials in creating and implanting policy, is currently overseen by the nine-member council. Within the article, Verrill attorney James Cohen commented that he suggests a change be made to the charter so that “councilors can do the policy work they need to do and get information.”